Shoe-fastener.



G. C. SPRINKLE. SHOE FASTENER. APPLICATION 11.21) APR. 2, 190B.

PatentedJan. 5, 1909.

Witness Mow,

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE. CLARENCE 0. SPRINKLE, 0F MARION, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO MAHLON A.

STAIR, OF LA FONTAINE, INDIANA.

SHOE-FASTENER.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CLARENCE C. SPRIN- KL'E, a citizen of the United States, residing at Marion, in the county of Grant and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Shoe-Fasteners, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

My invention relates to improvements in cord fastening devices, and consists of the novel features of construction and the combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

The object of the invention is to provide a simple, practical, and inexpensive device of this character which may be used in any case where it is desired to quickly and securely fasten the end of one or more cords, ropes, strings, or other flexible elements.

The above and other objects of the invention, as will hereinafter appear, are attained in the preferred embodiments of the invention illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a view of a shoe showing my improved fastener applied thereto for securing its lace or string; Fig. 2 is an enlarged view of the fastener; Fig. 3 is a section taken on the plane indicated by the line 3*?) in Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 2 of a modified form of the invention; and Fig. 5 is a section taken on the plane indicated by the line 55 in Fig. 4.

In the drawings 1 denotes a shoe, 2 its lace or string and 3 one of my improved fasteners for securing one or both ends of the lace. The fastener comprises a sheet or plate 4 which may be a stiff metal plate, as shown in Figs. a and 5, or a flexible sheet of leather or the like, as shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3. In the latter case metal eyelets 5 are arranged in openings in the sheet to provide bearings for rotary members 6 containing anti-friction rollers 7. The rotary members 6 are preferably in the form of metal eyelets arranged for rotation in the eyelets 5 and 0011- taining transverse or diametrically arranged journal pins 8 on which the rollers 7 are arranged. By arranging the anti-friction rollers in the inner rotary eyelets or members 6 and mounting the latter for rotation in the outer eyelets 5, it will be seen that the rollers will adjust themselves to the direction of the Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed April 2, 1908.

Patented Jan. 5, 1909.

Serial No. 424,778.

several portions of the string, cord, lace or the like passed over them. It will be understood that the anti-friction rollers 7 may be of any suitable form and construction and that the rotary members 6 which contain them may be of any other form and construction than that illustrated.

When the sheet or plate a of the fastener is made of metal or rigid, as in Figs. 4L and 5, the eyelet 5 may be omitted and the rotary member or eyelet 6 which corresponds to the member 6 above described is mounted for rotation in an opening in said plate a. In all other respects this latter form of the invention is the same in construction and operation as the one above described.

It will be understood that any number of the rotary members with their antifriction rollers may be provided in the sheet or plate and that the cord, string or lace may be engaged with them in various ways. As illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, one of the laces is passed over two of the rollers and its extremity then brought over the edge of the shoe upper and held under the stretched portion of the lace between the rollers. When the lace is thus applied its free end will be securely held against slipping.

Having thus described the invention What is claimed is:

1. A cord fastener comprising a sheet having an opening, a rotary member arranged in said opening and an anti-friction roller 'journaled in said rotary member.

2. A cord fastener comprising a sheet having a plurality of openings, a rotary member mounted in each of said openings and an anti-friction roller j ournaled in each of said rotary members.

3. A cord fastener comprising a sheet, eyelets arranged in the same, rotary eyelet members in the first mentioned eyelets, and antifriction rollers journaled in said members.

4;. A cord fastener comprising a sheet, an anti-friction roller, and a swiveled support or member for said roller mounted in said sheet.

In testimony whereof I hereunto afiix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

CLARENCE C. SPRINKLE. 

